When you devour a book because you find it hard to put down, it’s a sign that it’s a bloody good one. When you can’t wait to share and chat about it, it’s a sign that it has resonated with you deeply.
That’s the impact Mind Your Body: A Revolutionary Programme to Release Chronic Pain and Anxiety, had on Erica and why we chose to chat about it on the podcast. It’s a book you simply must know about!
"Pain is an invitation to recognise the inner truths that have been waiting for our acknowledgment like shame, grief and suppressed emotions…Understanding common traumas in order to uncover the depth of your pain.” Nicole J Sachs from her book, Mind Your Body.
Erica and I talk about various aspects of the book that caught her attention and expand on those with curiosity and deeper conversation:
:: TMS (Tension Myositis Syndrome, also called Tension Myoneural Syndrome or “mind–body syndrome”. The foundation for Nicole’s work, based on the mind–body model of chronic pain proposed by rehabilitation physician John Sarno.
:: The Pain we feel is real - it’s not in your head. We all know this to be true when we’re stressed, we feel the tension in our body somewhere. Erica as a councilor and somatic practitioner sees this every week in clinic and supports easing that stress with exploratory movement and awareness. A mind body connection.
:: The Stress Loop - when we harbour emotions that have no where to go. What does that look and feel like?
:: It’s Counter-Cultural - to feel and express emotions. We are taught and encouraged to suppress them - to keep calm and carry on. What a load of BS.
:: So Where Does The Physiological Response Go? The shame we feel and ignore. The anger we find hard to express in a way that is true to how we’re feeling. The fear we hold buried deep within; from our childhood and in our adult life. The multitude of difficult emotions we shut down. Where do they show up in our body?
We talk about how Mind-Body Medicine is challenging those practices, urging us to pay attention and with curiosity, explore those emotions in order to relieve the pain we feel in our body.
:: The Importance of Self-Compassion - It’s human to feel this way. Those difficult emotions are nothing to be ashamed of. It’s all part of being human. We need to acknowledge that and meet ourselves and others with kindness with a hefty dose of self-compassion. The key ingredient to meeting our inner truth as we explore with an open heart and curiosity what those feelings are and mean.
:: Holding Opposing Emotions Simultaneously - like both fear and love at the same time. It’s challenging. It’s hard.
:: The power of using AND instead of BUT in sentences and thoughts, as we excavate and acknowledge emotions. ‘But’ disarms and excuses. ‘And’ empowers us, validating our experience.
:: More Gaps We Need To Fill - to advocate for ourselves when the traditional medical model and solutions don’t provide the answers we need to solve our pain problems. Erica stresses that Nicole is not dismissing the need to search for answers by having medical tests and investigations. Quite the opposite, they are and we must. But if the findings are not clear or if they are absent, then that is potentially a gap to fill with Mind-Body Medicine. Explore it with curiosity and advocate for you if this is your situation.
:: A Way Forward: Exploring the Hidden Truth - Using Nicole’s Journal Speaking framework. “The pain is not in your head. But the solution is not in your body.”
:: Add This To Your Toolkit - Mind Body Medicine and Journal Speaking as a part of your tool kit. Not a panacea on its own, rather an additional tool to support and help your pain and healing as you navigate being human.
At a time when we need this more than ever. In a world of increasing global tensions and fear. For ourselves. For each other.
Erica plans to Journal Speak. We might do a part 2 and find out how she found it. Stay tuned :)
A big thank you to everyone who tuned into our live video! And a big thank you to those who are tuning in now. We hope you find a few gems in there.
Why not share those gems and let us know what resonated with you?
Join us for our next live video in the app next week!
About the author, Nicole J Sachs:
At 19, Nicole was diagnosed with a severe life-limiting degenerative spinal condition with no guarantee she’d ever be pain free post surgery, which was the solution on offer. She faced the realisation that traditional doctors didn’t have solutions for what was most urgent, ending her pain.
Curiosity (and desperation) lead her to the world of Dr. John Sarno, and his teachings on the brain science behind Mind-Body Medicine.
About 20 years of clinical practice where she’s, supported hundreds of thousands with their chronic pain, anxiety and other conditions, has been channeled into her latest book Mind Your Body.
Nicole J. Sachs, LCSW is a speaker, writer, psychotherapist, retreat leader, and podcaster. She is the author of the books MIND YOUR BODY and The Meaning of Truth, and the creator of online courses Freedom from Chronic Pain and Freedom from an Anxious Life. (From her website - YourBreakAwake.com)
Find Mind Your Body: At most book stores online. If you go to her website YourBreakAwake.com there are additional free resources to download post purchase.
Audio Book: If you prefer to dive in, listening to Nicole and John Stracks narrate Mind Your Body, you can. Here is one option if you’re in Australia. Or head to where ever you grab yours. You’re sure to find it there.
Nicole’s Podcast is The Cure for Chronic Pain. Find it on your podcast streaming platform of choice.
In Other Conversations: Nicole has a chat with Jonathan Fields on his Good Life Project (GLP) podcast. It’s brilliant. Her work and who she is, shines so brightly. Well worth a watch or a listen. Find GLP here on Substack in Jonathan’s world - Awake At The Wheel.
